finditinsandwell wins an LGC Award!
25/03/2010
We know it's a cliché to say that an awards ceremony is the 'Oscars' of its industry, but an LGC (Local Government Chronicle) Award really is the most coveted gong for a council's trophy cabinet.
That's why we're delighted to tell you that finditinsandwell scooped an LGC Procurement prize on Wednesday 24 March for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, for using our buying power to benefit local people.
Cabinet members, council chiefs and buyers from Sandwell Council travelled to London to attend the ceremony, which took place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in the heart of Mayfair, and returned to Oldbury with the prestigious trophy. We were the only West Midlands council to win a prize this year and faced competition from huge local authorities across the UK.
We won the trophy for finditinsandwell's excellent work in making sure Sandwell Council's procurement practices have ongoing social, economic and environmental benefits to our community, boosting businesses, jobs and skills in the area. You can download and read our winning award entry here.
The ceremony was hosted by Armando Iannucci, creator of I'm Alan Partridge and The Thick of It, and Oscar-nominated political satire In The Loop.
The judges in the Procurement category were:
* Bill Roots, an independent consultant in central government, local government and the wider public sector
* Martin Chown, director of business services procurement for Buying Solutions, the national procurement partner for UK public services
* Ian Coleman, director of finance for Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
"I'm so pleased that Sandwell Council has been recognised through this award," said Steve Massey of finditinsandwell. "In the past three years since finditinsandwell's launch we've come up against many barriers in trying to improve council-wide procurement procedures - but this is a sign that we are succeeding and indeed making a real difference to the lives of people and businesses in Sandwell. We're not stopping yet - there are still further improvements to be made - but this tells us that what we are doing is recognised as best practice and worthwhile.
"I hope our success will encourage other councils across the country to follow suit, and use their buying power to keep their own local economies strong and vibrant."
Indeed, Birmingham City Council is following our lead, with the soon-to-be-launched finditinbirmingham, and Wolverhampton City Council is in advanced talks for a 'findit' portal too.
This award joins our 2009 APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) award for ‘Best Information & Communication Technology Initiative’, and shortlisted entries in the 2009 MJ Achievement Awards and the West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE) 2009 Awards for Innovation.
Visit the LGC Awards website.
"FANTASTIC News on winning the award and WELL WELL DONE - you all deserve it. I was in London the same evening and keeping everything crossed for you guys, hope you all had a great evening."
- Andrea Childs, Klick Business Solutions
"Great news. Congratulations for winning the LGC award for Procurement, well done to all involved from the Managed Workspace team."
Mike Hughes, Sandwell Council
"Well Done! and well deserved Steve to you and all the team at the 'Find it in Sandwell' initiative."
- Rhiddian Billingham, Midland Decorators Ltd
"Unfortunately Allison is off sick but she has text in and ask me to email you and congratulate you and your team on winning the award last night. Well done."
- Tracey King, PA to Allison Fraser, CEO of Sandwell Council
"The award is just recognition for your ground breaking initiative that does what it says ‘on the tin’ and indeed much more. It is richly deserved, many congratulations to you and your team."
- Barry Stephens, CIAPS
"Delighted to hear about the LGC award for finditinsandwell- well done to you and colleagues."
- Rosie Edwards, Sandwell Council
"Just a quick note to say Well done to you and your team."
- Stephen Gabriel, Sandwell Council
"Well done Steve, well deserved"
- Tim Pritchard, Sandwell Council
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